Kendall Rogers termed it best in his Rivals.com Southeastern Conference preview when he said, “Life in the SEC is tough, but it’s worth the ride if you can get through it and reach the College World Series.”As Rogers and those that follow SEC baseball know, survive in the SEC and make it to the NCAA Tournament and you have as good of a shot as any team in the nation to win the College World Series. The league is that tough.Rogers unveiled his SEC preview for the 2010 baseball season on Monday, writing about a league that is once again chock-full of NCAA Tournament contenders. Although Rogers picks Kentucky fifth in the Eastern Division, he tabs them as one of 10 – yes, 10! – SEC regional contenders.”The Wildcats welcome back eight position starters, but the uncertainty surrounding ace pitcher James Paxton and the bullpen keeps them down in the eastern division pecking order for now,” Rogers writes.Senior pitcher James Paxton makes Rogers’ All-Conference Team and sophomore hurler Alex Meyer is included in his “Rising Stock” list.”The Wildcats hope they can count on ace pitcher James Paxton this season, but with the uncertainty surrounding his situation, there’s a good chance Meyer will be the go-to guy on the mound,” Rogers writes. “Meyer had a respectable freshman campaign, but impressed coaches by adding 20 pounds to his frame during the offseason. The right-hander is primed for a solid campaign.”UK kicks off its season Feb. 19 vs. Virginia Tech at the Caravelle Resort Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Keep an eye out on the blog in the coming weeks for previews of the upcoming 2010 baseball season.